Keyboard

Such electronic keyboard instruments are typically inexpensive, smaller, with mediocre sound quality, and lack many features offered by professional instruments. They can generally be located in electronics stores side-by-side with stereos, video games and the like, or even in toy stores. The senses are found under the keyboard. However, the line between "professional" and "amateur" instruments can often be blurred: professional musicians may use inexpensive keyboards for novelty or out of necessity (for example, reggae music in the '80s made frequent use of pre-programmed rhythm patterns on inexpensive digital keyboards), and due to advances in computer and electronics technology, many relatively inexpensive keyboards (under US$1000) have an array of features that would not have been on even the most expensive synthesizers of past decades.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

Trumpet

The trumpet or cornet is the smallest and highest member of the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. The difference between a trumpet and cornet is very minor. They both play the same notes and they sound virtually the same. In appearance, the trumpet looks a bit longer and more slender than a cornet. The real difference has to do with the way the tubing of the instrument flares. A cornet is more cone shaped or conical than a trumpet. For all practical purposes they are the same instrument for beginners. A band teacher may refer to the trumpet section when he or she really means all trumpets and cornets. Either is a good instrument for a beginner.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Conn

7C Mouth Piece, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Trombone

The trombone is a member of the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. A unique feature of the trombone is the slide. While other brass instrument change pitches by pressing valves to change the length of the air flow, the trombone player simply moves the slide in and out to the change the length of the instrument. Students who play the trombone should have a good ear and be able to sing in tune. Students who have an ability to match pitches will know when the slide is slightly too far in or out. But other than that, it’s a relatively easy instrument to start with. Some trombones include an “F” attachment with a trigger or a valve for the left hand. These instruments are not typically for beginners.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Conn

7C Mouth Piece, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Baritone / Euphonium

The baritone is a member of the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. The baritone works in the same manner as a trumpet but it’s twice the length. It plays the exact same notes as a trombone and even uses the same mouthpiece. The biggest difference is that the baritone uses valves rather than a slide to change the length of the air flow. The baritone is relatively easy to learn for beginners. The deep beautiful tone from a baritone is attractive to many students who like the sound of a lower voice. Many students who like the tuba start out on the baritone with plans to switch to the tuba after a year or two of band. The tuba is the same as a baritone in nearly every way. The bell on baritones can be either straight up or bent forward. None of these differences really matter for younger players.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Conn

7C Mouth Piece, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Tuba / Sousaphone

The tuba is the largest member of the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. The tuba works the same as a baritone but it’s twice the length. The unique, low sound of the tuba can be beautiful while playing bass lines or the melody. The stereotype of the tuba, playing “oompah, oompah” isn’t really true at all. When given the opportunity, its a great solo instrument, it’s just pitched low. Many students who like the tuba start out on the baritone with plans to switch to the tuba after a year or two of band. The baritone is a little easier to manage for most elementary students. The tuba is played with the right hand on the valves. The left arm usually supports the bottom of the instrument. There are a number of shapes and sizes of tubas.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Conn

Mouth Piece, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

French Horn

The French horn or sometimes called just “horn” is a member of the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. The French horn is a beautiful sounding instrument but beginners should proceed with caution. Due to the way a horn is constructed, it is more difficult for young students to play the correct notes. The French horn can be a great beginning instrument for someone with some music background and the ability to match pitches correctly. The student should be able to sing in tune in order to know when they are playing the correct pitches on their horn. As students advance they will learn how to place the right hand inside the bell for a beautiful sound.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Conn

Mouth Piece, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Flute

The flute is the smallest and highest pitched beginning band instrument. It is a member of the woodwind family even though it is made of metal and doesn’t use a reed to create the sound. In order to produce a tone on the flute, the player blows across the tone hole of the mouthpiece, allowing the air to split at the far edge of the hole. That creates a whistle sound. In all cases the air splits to create a sound. Aiming a thin air stream at the edge of the hole to make a sound can be a bit challenging at first but it gets much easier with time and practice. There are several types of flutes but the beginning (soprano) flute is by far the most popular. Other versions of flutes include “open hole” flutes which are much more expensive and not suitable for beginners. Serious high school students and virtually all professional flautists use open hole flutes.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Gemeinhardt & Yamaha

Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Clarinet

The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. Sound is produced by a vibrating single reed which is the same sound producing method as the saxophone. Other similarities to the saxophone make the clarinet a good starting instrument for students who may want to move to the saxophone later on. The clarinet is played with the left hand closest to the mouth. The right hand covers the lower keys. The clarinet is the only beginning woodwind instrument where some of the keys do not cover the entire hole. This means the player must cover some of the keys with the pad of his/her fingers in order to prevent air from leaking out. This isn’t difficult to master but air leaking out of a key is a common cause of the typical beginner squeak.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Selmer, Buffet, & Yamaha

#2 or #2 1/2 Reeds, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Alto Saxophone

The saxophone is a member of the woodwind family even though it is made almost entirely of metal. The sound is produced by a vibrating single reed which is the same sound producing method as a clarinet. The clarinet and saxophone are similar in many ways. Many beginning students may not have a willingness to pay the higher price of a saxophone. Others may not have hands large enough to fit around the saxophone keys. Those students may start with a clarinet and switch to the saxophone at a later date. The saxophone family has basically four members. The Bb (B flat) soprano, Eb alto, Bb tenor and Eb baritone saxophones are all widely used. The most popular and best beginning instrument is the Eb alto saxophone. A student with very large hands can succeed with a Bb tenor saxophone but alto is usually preferred.

Recommended Brands & Accessories:

Selmer & Yamaha

#2 or #2 1/2 Reeds, Cleaning Kit, & Music Stand

Bell Kit

The Percussion family family is an interesting case, because every member of the percussion section in band must play every instrument in the section. In elementary band, there are usually only two instruments played; the Bells and the Snare Drum. The percussion instruments are a part of the band, along with the brass and woodwinds families. The Bells are a percussion instrument. Sound is created by striking pieces of metal with a plastic or wood mallet. The notes are configured like a piano keyboard and usually have the names of the notes printed on each bar. The Snare Drum is the smallest drum in the percussion section. This is the most popular drum and is used in nearly all styles of music. For beginners, practice pads are often used to dampen the offensive sound.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

Percussion

A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration. The term usually applies to an object used in a rhythmic context and/or with musical intent. The word "percussion" has evolved from Latin terms: "percussio" (which translates as "to beat, strike" in the musical sense, rather than the violent action), and "percussus" (which is a noun meaning "a beating"). As a noun in contemporary English it is described at Wiktionary as "the collision of two bodies to produce a sound". The usage of the term is not unique to music but has application in medicine and weaponry, as in percussion cap, but all known and common uses of the word, "percussion", appear to share a similar lineage beginning with the original Latin: "percussus". In a musical context then, the term "percussion instruments" may have been coined originally to describe a family of instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates, or wooden blocks which musicians would beat or strike (as in a collision) to produce sound.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

Violin

The violin is the smallest member of the string family. Sound is produced by drawing the bow across one of the four strings or by plucking the string with a finger. All string instruments produce sound in the same manner. The main differences are the sizes of the instruments and how high or low each instrument can sound. The violin is played with the instrument under the chin on the left side. A shoulder pad is used under the violin and on top of the left shoulder. Teachers may encourage the use of a simple foam pad or a pad that attaches to the bottom of the violin. The correct hand position for both hands as well as posture and arm positions are critical at the beginning stages. Beginners should not practice extensively without guidance from a teacher. Developing bad habits at the beginning stages may be very difficult to break.

Each string student needs to be sized by a representative from a music store.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

Viola

The viola is slightly larger than the violin. Like the violin, sound is produced by the drawing the bow across one of the four strings or by plucking the string with a finger. All orchestra string instruments produce sound in the same manner. The main differences are the sizes of the instruments and how high or low each instrument can sound. The viola is played with the instrument under the chin on the left side. A shoulder pad is used under the viola and on top of the left shoulder. Teachers may encourage the use of a simple foam pad or a pad that attaches to the bottom of the viola. The viola is a very old instrument. It has been basically unchanged for hundreds of years. The viola looks and sounds a lot like a violin. The difference has to do with size and pitch. Both instruments have four strings.

Each string student needs to be sized by a representative from a music store.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

Cello

The cello (pronounced like ‘chello”) is the second largest member of the string family. Like the other string instruments, sound is produced by drawing a bow across the strings or by plucking the strings. The cello is played in an upright position with the left hand resting on the back of the neck and the right either plucks the strings or holds the bow. The player should be sitting with the body of the instrument resting between the legs. The correct hand position for both hands as well as posture and arm positions are critical at the beginning stages. Beginners should not practice extensively without guidance from a teacher. Developing bad habits at the beginning stages may be very difficult to break.

Each string student needs to be sized by a representative from a music store.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand

String Bass

The string bass (pronounced like ‘base”) is the largest member of the string family. Other names for this instrument include the bass viol, the stand-up bass or frequently simply the bass. Like the other string instruments, sound is produced by drawing a bow across the strings or by plucking the strings. Since the bass is the largest of the string instruments, it is also the lowest. Like other string instruments the bass comes in just two pieces, the instrument and the bow. The bow uses horsehair or a synthetic material to vibrate the strings as it is drawn over the instrument. The bow should be tightened to just the right tension before it is used and loosened before it is put away.

Each string student needs to be sized by a representative from a music store.

Recommended Accessories:

Music Stand